Conditions for Classroom Technology Innovations
  • Budget: An average of $6000 from a grant
  • Teacher Training: Teacher that had a broader knowledge of technology had more success in implementation; teachers who had limited knowledge and experience were more reluctant and hindered the implementation of their projects
  • Class Time: Technology integrated throughout all class subjects
  • A study done through a grant and with teachers from various backgrounds implementing technology based curriculum--wanted to find out the successes and failures for technology implemented in the classroom
  • Factors that affected implementation of technology in the classroom:
    • Teacher Expertise--Teachers that were flexible in trying new ideas and were reflective of their practice (in technology and their own teaching practice) had more success than teachers that did not.
    • Technology Resources--Teachers that heavily relied on others' expertise, resources (media specialist, software, etc.) usually experienced frustration and often did not fully integrate the technology within the curriculum.
  • School Climate--Student equity, unsupportive teaching partners, and overbearing administrators limited and/or discouraged teachers from fully integrating or continuing the technology curriculum.
    Teaching, Learning & Technology
  • Technology advances in education.
  • Intergrating the use of technology in the classroom and how well students respond to it.
  • Students became for confident, able to work in groups, independent workers, self-starters, and were optimistic out-look for the future.
  • A "constructive" classroom opposed to a traditional one is created.
  • Characteristics of a successful inquiry based classroom fused with technology.
  • Advantages of using technology to promote learning (technlogy becomes a catalyst for learning)
  • Students interpret the information and make meaning of the information gathered
  • Technology is always a work in progress
  • Teacher training was in a "real classroom" (mulitdisciplinary) with students
  • Teachers became for comfortable with technology, enjoyed their work, and transformed into facilitator rather than "traditional teacher"